Merrick Garland not interested in becoming FBI director after Mitch McConnell suggested him to Trump

Judge Merrick Garland removed himself out of the running to head the FBI. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Judge Merrick Garland, whose Supreme Court nomination was ignored by Senate Republicans, has no interest in running the FBI, according to a friend.

Garland's name surfaced Tuesday after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he recommended that President Trump nominate the federal appeals court judge for the post.

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A search for a replacement has been underway since Trump fired James Comey under a cloud of controversy last week.

But Garland is happy in his current job, and has no interest in leaving the judiciary to head the FBI, according to The Associated Press, which talked to a longtime friend of the judge.

Former President Barack Obama nominated Garland to fill a vacancy on the high court after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, but McConnell declined to even hold a hearing.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to hold a hearing for Merrick when the judge was nominated to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch, who was confirmed by the Senate to fill the position.

Garland has a lifetime appointment to the critical U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Meanwhile, Texas Sen. John Cornyn has told the Trump administration he isn't interested in serving as FBI director, either. Another Republican whose name had been mentioned as a possible candidate, Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, said Monday that he also had taken himself out of the running.